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UK new car emissions drop almost four per cent

UK average new caremissions have dropped by 30 per cent since 2000 and are now below the EU’s target level for 2015 as manufacturers step up production of fuel efficient vehicles.

Figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) yesterday show average new car emissions stood at 128.3 grams of CO2 per kilometre in 2013, a 3.6 per cent drop from the previous year.

The improvement takes the UK past the pan-European 130g/km target for 2015 and further towards the 2020 goal of 95g/km, although manufacturers may have an extra year to reach this target following an EU vote last month.

The figures still leave the UK well short of the leading EU countries Denmark and Portugal, both of which boasted fleet averages of below 120g/km in 2012. But the UK beat that year’s EU average of 132.2g/km and is streets ahead of Germany, the EU’s largest market, which posted the highest average auto emissions of 141.5g/km in 2012.